Work

My second prompt was about work and I had a hard time with this one. Hence the late arrival.

Everyone needs work to do. It can build self esteem under optimal conditions. Which is why working at something you feel passionately about is essential. There are even animals that love to work. It’s built into us.

Growing up, we were instilled with an extra strong work ethic to the point that I found myself unable to be still unless I was reading a book which rarely was allowed. My parents always found work for us to do. Sitting and playing was never an option.

I’ll do the hard work

My dream of becoming a teacher never materialized. I hold teachers in the highest esteem. Without them, there would be no doctors, lawyers, or even actors and athletes. There are good teachers and then there are exceptional teachers. I was lucky enough to get at least one exceptional teacher. Her work changed my life.

Never afraid of hard work and I fit underneath better.

I am no longer in the work force but I’ve done so many different kinds of work in the different stages of my life. I’ve been an after school sitter and dinner maker, waitress, carhop, retail supervisor, hairdresser, secretary and switchboard operator for a security company where I had a phone at both ears. For a short time, I worked for Bell telephone in the IBM card reading department. I failed the eye test to work switchboard so they thought I’d do better reading tiny holes in cards. I wound up doing the job of two people working 12-hour days.  Each one of those jobs were about survival. I gave them all my very best efforts.

Mom and me, senior year of high school. Mom has the cigarette.

When my daughter was an infant, I went to a cocktail party with the husband for his work. One of his  coworkers was introduced to me and she asked what I did? I replied that I was raising two children and taking care of our home. She asked what else I did. Coming from another woman, I was stunned silent. That this is work that is not valued by other women made me question myself.

My favorite job in the world.

I learned about Color and Image consulting after the children were grown and gone. I studied for a year loving every minute. It was the first work I had ever done for myself. Now understand that I am not a fashion person. I found this method helped enhance individual personality in how you dressed and the colors you wore. It helped each person discover so much about themselves that had laid dormant.

I didn’t care about fancy dress. I cared about authenticity. Finding colors and styles that showed others who was really stepping in front of them was exciting. It couldn’t have been a job because I pretty much gave away most of my services for the pure delight of it. It was the second-best work I’ve ever done.

The best work I’ve ever had in my life was raising my children and giving them a voracious appetite for reading anything and everything. In our family, books are the gift of choice all the way around.

A most precious moment caught on film

Helping children read is my greatest passion and work in this world. Being brought up bilingual, I had a difficult time with words. For a short time when my dad was around, he taught me how to discern the spelling and meaning of words I did not know so that no one could speak above my level of understanding again. He did that with a GED earned while in the army.

What was some of your most interesting work through the years?

From my heart to yours,

Marlene Herself

In Search of my Fashionista

I read a post last week by “To Breathe is to Write” that got my writing juices flowing. She hit on a topic of conversation that I can be quite verbose about given the opportunity. I’m taking that opportunity now. If you go back and read this post, you’ll see what got me going.

She mentioned not being a Fashionista. I could so relate. I’ve rarely had the funds for fashion. I barely had the funds for clothes and by the time high school arrived, I made three skirts in basic black, brown and navy stretch with six basic blouses.Then, in the 80’s and 90’s they were selling a lot of prepackaged color packets. I went to a seminar on personal colors. This seminar was about doing it differently and I was interested.

What I learned, after getting so hooked that I studied for a whole year, was that a lot of women dress in a way that makes them invisible. I actually had a client come back and ask me how to be invisible while traveling in parts of the world where her safety wasn’t assured. I knew the tricks and her travels went well.

During much of my life I have wanted to be invisible and as I’ve aged, found that to be quite easy. But that’s a whole other topic. Recently, I got rid of all my man shirts and have sought out a softer, more fun and feminine look. Since I can’t buy what I want, I’m trying to sew it.

My course taught me that color and style should reflect the personality and coloring of each individual. Family members often don’t wear the same colors. Age had little to do with it, personality and coloring was where the statement starts. I’m considerably more energetic than my daughter. My colors can be a tad brighter but not as bright or bold as someone who loves the spotlight. If you watch news anchors or talk show hosts like Ellen, see if you can tell when what they wear just makes their eye colors pop. That’s when they have your attention. The rest of the time you are looking at the color of their clothes. The clothes are wearing them.

If you are in business, a teacher, leader, boss, or anytime you need to get someone to pay attention to what you say, wear colors that draw attention to your eyes. It doesn’t need to be expensive or even the latest style. Your clothes should not command more attention than your face and specifically, your eyes.

I have never been a fashion slave. My style now is classic with pops of noisy, effervescence. Clothes should also tell the truth about who you are at first glance. Are you quiet, bouncy, take charge, artistic or walking on air with aloofness? The first 10 seconds tell people everything. Tell them the truth; not what some young designer wants for your truth to be. If you want to be invisible, go for it but understand you are creating that. That applies to men as well as women.

I wore a lot of monochromatic. It was my way of staying quiet. I’m really quite noisy. Now I wear more colors at a time.

Also, no one is just one color harmony. We have two parents, and lots of grandparents. My daughter was a struggle for me in every way from the moment she could walk and talk. I could not even do her colors, taking her instead to my instructor. As an Autumn/Summer, her personality was strong and quiet at the same time. Talk about mixed messages. Her energy was slower than mine and her colors had to reflect that. We have been better friends since I learned her harmonies. And yes, sometimes she blows off what she knows looks best and wears what she just likes. Sometimes it’s just not so important.

I carrry these with me all the time. My couch matches my colors too.

Her brother has her same eye color but more energy, as his colors reflect. When talking to him about this post he reminded me that we most often pick out colors by how they make us feel or by how we want to feel. That said, I will tell you that everyone can wear every color. It’s the value and tone. Yellow is a tricky one but there is a shade of yellow for you. Yellow makes us happy. Blue, trustworthy etc.

There are colors I love, but they don’t love me. I like purple, but a warm berry doesn’t swallow me whole. I have to do purples in pens or vases. Even my quilts tend to be more my colors since I’m going to be sitting around them and I want to look nice near them. Oops, is that a bit of vanity creeping in.

Light was essential for clients sitting in front of me. Those drawers held Thousands of color swatches.

Most of the time, it’s hard to find our colors in fashion. When I do, I snag it. I’m still in the basics but my shirts are more often in my colors

even my quilt has my colors. I’m drawn to them naturally now.

Like I said, this is a passionate subject for me and since I’m trying to make friends, it’s time to take off the cloak of invisibility. Do you ever wonder why the clerk at the store ignores you? How do you choose what to wear? Do you long to command respectful attention or be invisible?

From my heart to yours,
Marlene Herself

In Search of a Little Fun

Last weekend I asked my daughter to drive us to the small town of Mt. Angel about 30 minutes from my home. The town was at one time settled with Benedictine Monks and families from Bavaria giving it a Germanic flavor. This weekend was their Oktoberfest.

It could almost pass for Germany

He was nice enough to pose. His hat said he’s been to more places than I have

I was not going for pretzels and beer though. My mission was for pickled garlic. I’ve been searching for some since I finished my last jars. I found, several years ago, that pickled garlic helped to naturally bring down my cholesterol numbers. Since mine runs high due to genetics and I refuse to take prescription drugs, I’m always looking for natural alternatives. Oddly, or maybe not, sugar also raises my triglycerides, so I’m working hard to keep that to a minimum as well. Once my 2 quarts of pickled garlic were procured, we proceed on to the rest of the festival.

It’s hard to find good pickled garlic. This is good stuff

My daughter found local lavender honey and a silly crocheted hat.

She had more fun with this hat though in Portland, weird goes unnoticed.

The young woman selling honey for her friend, was wearing a top that reflected many colors in her eyes. I was so taken by how beautiful the soft sage green in her shirt brought all your attention to her eyes. The shirt neckline was banded by autumn orange and flecks of brown that were also reflected in her eye center. Her entire eye was rimmed in a soft warm blue. I mentioned to her how stunning the shirt was on her and we began a conversation that led to her wedding dress. My strong suggestion was to avoid stark white and lean toward ivory or creamy whites. She had the loveliest tanned skin tone and I suggested that she should paint her bedroom walls that color once she is married. For me, that was the most fun of the day. I love helping people find their most enhancing colors. She asked for my card to possibly ask for more color consulting regarding her wedding. Even though I no longer do it professionally, it’s still fun when I get the opportunity.

Mein hut. Finally a chance to wear it.

Then we took just a few pictures since there were so many people around. We came home early as my daughter’s Fibromyalgia makes walking a lot painful and I had what I came for primarily.

My day was capped off when I looked out over the balcony to see two of my neighbors out with their dogs. I had to take photos. They played so nicely together that I just had to smile for the rest of the day. Can you figure out which is Boomer and which is Charlie? What do you do for fun?

2 moms and their babies

Can you figure out which is Boomer?

Live and work but do not forget to play, to have fun in life and really enjoy it. ~ Eileen Caddy

From my heart to yours,
Marlene Herself